Invite visitors with disabilities – it’s easier than you think

13. December 2024

Does the hotel have a wellness centre included? What do the reviews say about breakfast? How far is it from the accommodation to the city centre? If these are the kinds of questions you ask when choosing a place for your next holiday or business trip, imagine how much more effort people with disabilities need to put into their travel planning.

For individuals with disabilities—this article focuses particularly on those with limited mobility—assessing how accessible a new place will be is a key part of preparing for any journey. Will they find a designated parking spot nearby? Is the access path wheelchair-friendly? Are there obstacles to navigate before reaching the reception? Is there a room specifically adapted for their needs?

A 2021 survey conducted by CzechTourism revealed that most people with disabilities enjoy travelling regularly. They are often accompanied by family members or other support persons. These travellers tend to return to places that have proven to be accommodating to their needs. Another characteristic of their travel habits is staying longer, even on shorter trips, to avoid unnecessarily complicated travel. This often means they spend more during their stays.

To make it easier for people with disabilities to decide on your venue, provide clear and visible information about its accessibility on your website. According to the survey, 90% of people with disabilities look for accessibility details directly on business websites. Unfortunately, only a small fraction of establishments include such information—even those that do offer adapted rooms for guests with disabilities.

How to prepare accessibility information

Marie Scott shared practical tips on preparing accessibility guides during a webinar hosted by the European project CE-Spaces4All. A recording of the session (in Czech) is available here, and two additional webinars are planned for January. Participation is free for everyone.

Guides for hotels, restaurants, and tourism attractions (museums, galleries, etc.) are available for download under the “Project Updates” section here. These resources help you address every point of the guest journey—from getting out of the car to entering, for example, a hotel room.

The project, running until February 2026, offers personalised support from Marie Scott and her colleagues to help you create a detailed accessibility guide. Reach out to them to prepare a helpful resource for your guests. Once completed, make sure the guide is prominently displayed on your website. You can download an icon to mark the guide on your main navigation bar here. Alternatively, consider placing it in the footer. For inspiration, check out Hotel Premium in Znojmo (look for the wheelchair icon in the top right corner).

Add your venue to accessibility platforms

Another way to make your business more welcoming to people with disabilities is by listing it on the well-known platform VozejkMap. This is the largest database of accessible locations in the Czech Republic. You can add your venue yourself—ideally after preparing a clear and comprehensive accessibility guide.

By taking these steps, you’ll not only enhance your business’s inclusivity but also help create a more welcoming environment for all travellers.